[Amended 7-6-1994; 11-5-2012; 12-4-2017; 12-6-2021]
The County of Rappahannock, Virginia, adopts
the following purchase procedures for small single or term contracts
in accordance with § 2.2-4303.G of the Code of Virginia.
[Amended 7-6-1994; 11-5-2012; 12-4-2017; 12-6-2021]
These procedures shall apply to the purchase
of goods or nonprofessional services by the County of Rappahannock
when the cost of the same is not expected to exceed $200,000. Similarly,
the procedures shall apply to the purchase of professional services
by the County of Rappahannock when the cost of the same is not expected
to exceed $80,000.
[Amended 7-6-1994; 12-6-2021]
The County Administrator is hereby designated
purchasing agent for Rappahannock County and vested with all necessary
powers and authority to act on behalf of the County of Rappahannock
with respect to all purchases which are authorized by these purchase
procedures all in accordance with § 15.2-1543 of the Code
of Virginia.
[Amended 12-6-2021]
A copy of these procedures shall be posted on
the bulletin board in the Rappahannock County Courthouse, and a copy
shall be maintained by the Clerk for the Board of Supervisors of Rappahannock
County for public inspection.
[Amended 7-6-1994;; 12-4-2017 12-6-2021]
A. For goods and nonprofessional services purchases not
exceeding $10,000. The purchasing agent may make such purchases by
obtaining prices in whatever manner he deems expedient, including
by telephone. At least two prices shall be obtained unless the purchasing
agent cannot reasonably locate more than one supplier. The purchasing
agent may accept the lowest price. No writing shall be required in
this situation, except the purchasing agent shall keep written notes
of who he obtained prices from, what they were, the date each price
was obtained and which supplier was chosen to supply the goods and
services sought. In obtaining bids, a bidder shall not be told the
amount of any other bids made until all bids are received and he shall
not thereafter be allowed to lower or modify his bid.
B. For goods and nonprofessional services purchases of
more than $10,000 but not exceeding $25,000.
(1) The purchasing agent shall prepare an informal request
for bids/proposals.
(2) Persons known to supply such goods or services shall
be contacted and asked to submit bids. Initial contact may be by any
mode, but to be a qualifying bid/proposal, a bid/proposal shall be
made in written form. At a minimum, bids/proposals shall be solicited
from persons who have supplied their names and addresses to the purchasing
agent for placement on a bidder's list for the type of goods and services
sought. An attempt shall be made to obtain at least two bids/proposals,
though two bidders/offerors are not required if no other supplier
of the goods and services is reasonably available.
(3) A copy of the informal request for bid/proposals,
filled out by the purchasing agent, shall be posted on the Courthouse
bulletin board for at least seven days before the due date for bids.
C. For goods and nonprofessional services purchases of more than $25,000
but not exceeding $200,000.
(1) The purchasing agent shall prepare a formal invitation for bids (IFB)
for goods or request for proposals (RFP) for nonprofessional services.
IFBs and RFPs shall require sealed bids/responses to be opened on
a clearly defined due date and time.
(2) In addition to the advertisement requirements listed in Subsection
B(2), IFBs and RFPs must be advertised on the County website (or equivalent) and when deemed appropriate by the purchasing agent listed in the local newspaper or on the statewide purchasing website (such as eVA).
D. Professional services. Pursuant to § 2.2-4303.G of the
Code of Virginia, local purchase procedures may allow for single or
term contracts for professional services without requiring competitive
negotiation, provided the aggregate or the sum of all phases is not
expected to exceed $80,000.
(1) For professional services purchases not exceeding $25,000, the purchasing
agent may select a professional services firm using the most administratively
efficient process available that provides for competition wherever
practicable.
(2) For professional services purchases of more than $25,000 but not
exceeding $80,000, the purchasing agent shall prepare an RFP that
shall require sealed responses to be opened on a clearly defined due
date and time with selection based on the offeror that demonstrates
skills that are best aligned with those necessary to complete the
work identified in the RFP. The RFP must be advertised on the County
website (or equivalent) and when deemed appropriate by the purchasing
agent listed in the local newspaper or on the statewide purchasing
website (such as eVA). The selection process should be similar to,
but is not required to follow, the competitive negotiation process
outlined by § 2.2-4303.2 of the Code of Virginia.
E. Joint and cooperative procurement. Pursuant to § 2.2-4304
of the Code of Virginia, the purchasing agent may participate in joint
and cooperative procurement as defined therein to satisfy purchasing
requirements. The use of joint or cooperative procurement methods
does not change the established purchase award requirements.
F. Sole source and emergency procurement. The purchasing agent may make
or recommend award of small purchases by sole source or emergency
procurement only after following the procedures of § 2.2-4303.E
and F of the Code of Virginia. In both cases, the purchasing agent
shall issue and post on the County website a written notice identifying
that which is being procured, the contractor selected, and the date
on which the contract was or will be awarded. The use of sole source
or emergency procurement methods does not change the established purchase
award requirements.
G. Purchase award.
(1) For any goods or services the cost of which is not more than $25,000,
the purchasing agent shall have authority to award the contract. For
purchases in excess of $25,000, action by the Board of Supervisors
shall be required in order to award the contract.
(2) The purchasing agent shall not make awards unless there has been
an appropriation of adequate dollar value previously made by the Board
of Supervisors and there remains adequate budget capacity for the
expenditure.
(3) The purchasing agent shall prepare a standard set of general and
special conditions that shall apply to every purchase award exceeding
$10,000. The conditions shall be available for review and inspection
at the office of the County Administrator and be posted on the County's
webpage.
[Amended 11-5-2012]
Sections 2.2-4367 through 2.2-4377 of the Code
of Virginia, Ethics in Public Contracting, shall apply to the procedures
established by this chapter.